Inherently Temperature-Safe cables are cables that have no significant output at their withstand temperature. More

The maximum temperature a heating cable can be exposed to before it is damaged. Sometimes referred to as maximum exposure temperature or design temperature

The surface of the heating cable must not exceed the maximum temperature of the constructional materials or the Temperature Classification if installed in a hazardous area. This is ensured by limiting the pipe or workpiece temperature to a safe level either by design calculation or by means of temperatue control devices.

Constant Wattage cables do not regulate they have the same output irrespective of pipe or surface temperature

Heat Trace - 'going the distance'

Heat Trace Ltd November new starters

Heat Trace - KORMARINE

The KORMARINE show was a great success for us, with a lot of interest from some of the major Korean shipbuilders, such as Hyundai Heavy Industries; Samsung Heavy Industries; Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering; Hanjin Heavy Industries & Construction; Doosan Heavy Industries & Construction – to name but a few!

Emilia Hoyle, Student

BEWARE - COUNTERFEITERS

It is said that ‘Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery’. And it is usual for the imitator to target those seen as the best in their field.

In this sense, perhaps Heat Trace should feel flattered that Wuhu Jiahong New Material Company of China (Wuhu) has targeted, and attempted to copy Heat Trace’s self-regulating heating cable products for its passing-off and counterfeiting activities. In reality, we are extremely concerned by the activities of this company, as our reputation for best quality may be compromised if clients receive inferior quality products, believing them to be of our manufacture.

Each datasheet carries a 100-150 word product description which, word for word, have been copied from Heat Trace’s own product datasheets. And, incredibly, this company has the audacity to claim ‘Copyright 2008 all rights reserved Wuhu Jiahong New Material Company Ltd.’!!!

We have also been told by our partners that they are claiming to be the real manufacturer of our cables! They have approached our distributors with the offer of ‘our’ products, and we have received copies of their quotations. Frankly, their prices are expensive. Usually, counterfeit products are available at a fraction of the genuine article. Not so with Wuhu, who have quoted US$15.29/m for our 55FSS2-CF! You may then wonder whether it works, and for how long.

We are having samples of their products independently performance tested. A full Test Report will be made available to Heat Trace’s partners and customers on completion. Meanwhile, we have carried out some preliminary in-house tests and, surprise, surprise, the Wuhu products tested fall well short of genuine Heat Trace products. During accelerated ageing tests, their cables exhibit unpredictable and abnormal behaviour, resulting in significant power output variations. These indicate manufacturing issues, and may also result in safety issues. Furthermore, although Wuhu’s datasheets claim approvals for hazardous areas, the samples we have tested do not meet the requirements of the latest standards.

Obviously, the Wuhu Jiahong manufactured products cannot have an 85 °C maximum energised withstand temperature (as per their product datasheets), and tests clearly show that their products lose output and fail when cycled at 85 °C

Similarly, whereas Heat Trace’s FSP has an onset melt temperature of 142 °C, the Wuhu equivalent product’s onset melt temperature is only 108 °C, and so its failure at their claimed withstand temperature is understandable.

2) Efficiency

The cross-sectional photographs clearly show air gaps between the heater core and insulation of the Wuhu Jiahong products. This causes the heater to operate at a higher temperature and less efficiently.

3) Mechanical strength

The Wuhu Jiahong products have a lower braid specification (see report), and hence have a lower mechanical withstand capability

Naturally, Heat Trace intends to take all appropriate legal proceedings against this company for such practices, which are illegal in China as in our own countries.We also intend to introduce a new system whereby the manufacturing origin of our products can be securely validated, and we will supply further details in the near future.

But in the meantime PLEASE BEWARE – counterfeit Heat Trace products, or products being passed off as Heat Trace products, marketed by Wuhu may be unapproved, unfit for purpose and pose safety concerns.